By George J. Borteh
Unconfirmed report has it that the Sherman & Sherman Law Firm which is presently providing legal services to the children of the late Professor Thomas K. Gaie has pre-financed the activities leading to the burial of the late WAEC boss.
Though the actual amount made available by Cllr. Varney Sherman legal institution (Sherman &Sherman Law Firm), has not been disclosed but unconfirmed report that said US$22,000 is expected to be released to the deceased children for activities leading to his burial.
At the same time, claims and counter claims between children of the late Thomas K. Gaie and his 1978 married wife Ruth Kroko-Gaie as to who have legal rights over the remains of the former WAEC boss, the six Judicial Circuit Civil Law at the Temple of Justice has settled the legal battle.
The court through its presiding Judge Yussif D. Kaba ruled that the children of the late Thomas K. Gaie have the legal rights as required by law to take over the remains of their late father for burial.
Judge Kaba said in his ruling delivered on the 3rd of December 2012 that lawyers represented the interest of Madam Ruth Kroko-Gaie failed to produce any evidence to granting them the legal rights (Declaratory Judgment), as prayed for in their petition filed before the court.
Judge Kaba who according to him based his ruling on the ‘Bill of Divorcement’ produced in court by lawyers who represented the interest of the children of the falling Liberian educator, dismissed the claim made by Madam Ruth Kroko-Gaie’s lawyers that the said divorcement document was obtained fraudulently.
According to documents currently in the case file of said case at the Civil Law Court, the bill of divorcement which was allegedly obtained through the Sherman and Sherman Law Firm as claimed by Madam Ruth Kroko-Gaie was issued a month and the half before the death of the late Gaie.
Court records in the possession of this paper indicate that the bill of divorcement was issued by the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in Bomi County on September 7, 2012 by presiding Judge Geevon Smith.
Prior to Judge Kaba’s ruling, Ruth Kroko-Gaie said in her petition for declaratory judgment filed on November 27, 2012 that before the death of her former husband (Thomas K. Gaie), both have cohabited together peacefully without any problem up to the time of his death.
She also said there were no problems or disagreements over their marriage or anything that would suggested a threat to the happiness of their marital union as husband that she were aware of, adding that prior to his death they were best of friends always maintaining a smooth line of communication.
